Mesa Public Schools said it is looking into the incident.
On Tuesday, the teacher told 12News they dressed up that way for Halloween spirit week. The teacher explained that the theme was “dynamic duos” and that a teacher next door dressed as an angel.
“Participating in spirit weeks is a way for me to connect with my students and make class fun,” the teacher said. “It’s honestly nothing more than that.”
However, Hamlet said he felt insulted by the costume due to his religious beliefs.
“I said, ‘Don’t do that to me,’ and I pushed [the pitchfork] away maybe three or four times, but he kept doing it,” Hamlet said.
Nathaniel then told his father, Chris Hamlet, a former Mesa school board candidate, about what happened. Chris said he reported it to the school’s principal.
“I was really upset because I’m a Christian too,” Chris Hamlet said. “The main issue for me is, the teacher kept doing it even when my son asked him to stop.”
The next day, Nathaniel said the teacher was not in class and hasn’t returned since. Mesa Public Schools said the teacher is now on paid administrative leave.
A spokesperson for Mesa Public Schools gave 12News a statement on the incident:
“Mesa Public Schools administration was notified of the alleged incident late Wednesday afternoon. Our Human Resources department started investigating Thursday morning and put the teacher on paid leave. The investigation is still ongoing.”
Some parents picking up their kids from school on Monday told 12News that while they don’t agree with what the teacher did, they feel that firing him might be too extreme.
You should be aware that, beyond the inconvenience they cause, these machines were primarily introduced to save on…
You should be aware that, beyond the inconvenience they cause, these machines were primarily introduced to save on Iabor costs rather than to enhance customer experience. According to Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University, customers have disliked them from the start.
Retailers can save up to 66% by replacing cashiers with self-checkout machines, driving their popularity. However, these machines often malfunction, with 67% of shoppers reporting issues. Additionally, some stores are falsely accusing customers of theft to profit further.
Criminal defense attorney Carrie Jernigan warns against using self-checkout machines due to increased theft risks. Retail giants Iike Walmart show little leniency towards customers who accidentally miss scanning items. They pursue legal action aggressively to support self-checkout profitability.
Jernigan advises against using self-checkout, as stores can easiIy accuse you of theft without substantial evidence. It’s a risky choice, potentially leading to legal trouble and a year in jail.
Leave a Reply